Thai Parliament To Vote For New PM On July 13

By Linda Khoo Hui Li

BANGKOK, July 6 (Bernama) -- Thailand’s Parliament is set to vote for a new Prime Minister on July 13, House Speaker Wan Muhammad Noor Matha announced Wednesday.

The announcement comes a day after Wan Noor was endorsed as the House Speaker.

Wan Muhammad Noor set the date after consulting Senate Speaker Pornpetch Wichitcholchai.

An official notice will be sent to all Members of Parliament and senators by the secretariat of parliament.

A new prime minister needs the support of 376 votes of the joint sitting.

Wan Muhammad Noor said voting for the new prime minister next Thursday may be completed immediately; however if there is no definitive outcome, another voting session will be scheduled.

The Move Forward Party (MFP), which won 151 seats in the May 14 general election and garnered more than 14.2 million votes, is leading a coalition of eight parties that together secured 312 of the 500 seats in the House of Representatives.

The coalition nominated MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat as its prime ministerial candidate. 

Despite the favourable number, there is no guarantee that the MFP-led coalition will be able to form a government as they need to secure another 64 votes from the 250 senators who were appointed during military rule.

Many senators have stated their unwillingness to vote for Pita due to MFP’s anti-establishment agenda, which involves the proposed amendment of the lese majeste laws – also known as Article 112 of the criminal code – regarding the offence of insulting the monarch.

“The Parliament must convene until the prime minister is installed. Pita is not the only candidate," Wan Muhammad Noor said as quoted by Bangkok Post. 

-- BERNAMA